Meter tester



Dec. 20', 1938-. I s ow 2,140,562

\ I METER TESTER Filed Sept. 8, 1936 Rank 5720a} INVENTOR yzwma.

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. '20, 1938 PATENT OFFICE METER TESTER Snow, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 8 1936, Serial No. 99,839

2 Claims.

' Figure l is an elevational view illustrating the device attached in the usual gas feed line,

' Figure 2 isa sectional view of the tester and illustrating the plug removed therefrom, and ,.Figure 3 is a perspective view of the feeding plugfthrough which the gas flows during the m testing.

. .f At the present time the method of testing a gas meter to determine whether or not the meter will register a small rate of gas flow requires four operations. First, the supply of gas from the main feed line must be shut off, after which the 7 outlet pipe of the meter is disconnected. Av test 'I capis then aflixed to the outlet side of the meter land the gas turned onto permit the flow thereof a through the meter and into the test cap.1 After a go the test is completed, the same operations have to be repeated in-order to reconnect the meter. The present invention provides for the permanent attachment in the outlet pipe of a device which requires only two operations to perform the test. There is also eliminated the neces-' sityof temporarily shutting'off the flow of gas through the meter.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed description thereof, the usual gas meter is indi- 40' cated by the numeral and the supply of gas is fed over the inlet or service pipe 6. After registering in the meter, the gas is supplied to V the dwelling through the outlet pipe I. The supply of gas from the service pipe is controlled t 46 by the valve 8 having a leverllfor disconnecting the service'of the gas. When the service is disconnected the lever 9 is suitably locked and sealed through the connection III. The usual meter conjnections H and I2 are provided for connecting 50 the service pipe and outlet pipe respectively, to

. the meter.

V The testing device indicated generally by the numeral 13 is positioned in the outlet side of the meter and preferably above the connection 5 I! and saiddevice'isT-shaped in cross section g and is threaded at each end as at [4 for connection to the outlet pipe 1. The central portion of'the tester is provided with an opening I5 to permit the normal flow of gas from the meter to the service connections.

The portion N3 of the tester l3 has an opening I! communicating with the opening l5 and positioned in said opening I! is a tapered plug I 8 provided with a restricted bore 19 also communicating with the opening I 5. The plug l8 when positioned in the opening l1, forms a permanent part of the tester.

The outer end of the portion I6 is threaded as indicated at 20, for receiving a plug 2| which plug isto be removed when testing. the flow of gas. The plug 2i includes an extension 22 for engage- -ment by a wrench or similar tool to aid in the removal thereof.

When desiring to make a test to determine whether the meter 5 will register a small rate of gas flow, all outlets connected to line 1 are closed thereby preventing flow of gas thru same and the plug 2| is removed so that the gas flowing through the connection 12 will be caused to flowthrough the restricted bore- 19 of the plug l8 whereby the person making the test will readily be able to determine that the meter will register the flow of gas. After making the test the plug 2| is replaced and the meter continues to operate in its customary manner. It will be seen therefore that the meter has been tested without the necessity of disconnecting the supply of gas or utilizing a separate means which must be connected to and disconnected from the meter, and that the herein described tester forms a permanent part of the outflow pipe,

An ear 23 also forms a part of the tester l3 and is provided for supporting the lock normally used for sealing the inlet valve 8. When the lock is not in use it may be retained in the ear 23 thereby preventing loss thereof.

It is to be understood that this invention is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described, and therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Meter testing apparatus comprising inlet and outlet pipes for connection with a meter, means substantially permanently attached and made integral with said outlet pipe for testing the flow of gas through said meter, said means including 66 the flow of gas through said meter, said means including a T-shaped connection having an opening therethrough, the extension of said T-shaped connection having an opening communicating with said first-mentioned opening, a plug positioned in said last-mentioned opening and having a restricted bore therethrough and means for normally closing said last-mentioned opening, said last named means including a plug removably supported in said extension.

FRANK SNOW. 

